Safe Secure Browsing – Why use a VPN service?

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What is a VPN?

A VPN is an acronym for Virtual Private Network. This means that instead of going straight to a website you go through a VPN server then to the website. Think of this like a road system. you want to get to number 10 example street. You would usually go down the main road and you would eventually get the 10 example street. What if a hacker had a road block on the main road? they would be able to stop you and look in your car. This is what its like when you are not using a VPN. A VPN in this scenario would be like a private road that only you can use but instead of going to 10 example street you go to number 1 VPN street. Then at VPN street you get into a helicopter and get dropped off at 10 example street. Same destination but no chance of a road block with the VPN.

If you want a more in depth explanation on how a VPN works you can scroll down to the end of this article.

Why do you need a VPN?

When you use a VPN you double encrypt your data. When you visit a site such as this one that uses SSL encryption your data is encrypted. But if a hacker has access to the encyption key or is hosting a clone site where he already holds the key they can decipher your data. When you use a VPN you encrypt the data and it gets sent to the VPN server. The data is then encrypted a second time and goes to the target website. This method of double encryption reduces the risk of your data being deciphered keeping your information safe.

Using a VPN will make it harder for anyone to track your browsing because the websites will only be able to see that someone on the VPN accessed their website.

Benifits of using NordVPN?

Here are some of the main reasons to use NordVPN:

• Unlock major styreaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Youtube, Disney+, plus more.
• With a VPN you can appear to be in any one of the 5000+ servers in 60+ countries. people will no longer be able to restrict you based on your location.
• Your browsing will not be logged, even by the VPN service so you remain anonymous. (this is not the case for all VPN /Proxxy services)
• 30-day money back guarentee.
• No bandwidth or data limits.
• large number of servers reduce overhead and gives a quicker connection compared to other VPNs
• Large user base means you’re hidden in a larger crowd making you even harder to find when being targetted.
• dedicated 24/7 dedicated support

How a VPN works a single request, for us nerds.

A VPN acts like a proxy service to the internet with additional encryption. This means any traffic that would normally go to a website is diverted to a VPN server. The request is then forwareded through the VPN network to one of the exit points  and on to the target website. This website then sends back the website data to the VPN exit point that asked for the information. The website data is then forwarded to the entry point and back to the original requester(you)

A simplyfied step by step of how a VPN service works:

1. You want to visit facebook so you click your facebook bookmark in your browser.
2. You’re computer creates a request (“hey, show me what facebook has”)
3. You’re already connected to the VPN so your request to facebook goes to the VPN server you are connected to instead of directly to facebook.
4. The VPN server is like. oh god another request for facebook lets forward this to the exit node ( the server where your requests will appear to come from )
5. The exit node generates a (hey facebook, show me what you got) message and sends it to facebook
6. Facebook is like oh someone wants to see my stuf, well if you want to talk to me you have to be encrypted, heres how to encrypt data for me (sends a key to encrypt data)
7. The exit node is aha! I got the encryption key to make messages for facebook lets give this to the user as well as our encryption key
8. The encryption keys are sent to you (1 for facebook and 1 for the VPN)
9. Now you have both keys you can finally create the original request you wanted. (Hi facebook, show me the login page so I can check my facebook status)
10. You now encrypt the message for facebook with the first key (facebook, Hi facebook status login show me my check page I so can the me)
11. You now encrypt it again for the VPN (koobecaf, ih koobecaf sutats nigol wohs em ym kcehc egap i os nac eht em)
12. This double encrypted message is then sent to the VPN server. (this is the point most likely to be seen by hackers between you and the VPN service)
13. The VPN server is aha an encypted message for me lets un encrypt it. Ah this is an encrypted message for facebook! send it to the exit point
14. The exit point gets the forwarded message and sends it to facebook (still encrypted as facebook will decrypt the message with their private decryption key)
15. Congratulations your request to facebook just went through the vpn and was encrypted all the way there. Facebook will now create an encrypted message for you.
16. The message is sent from facebook to the exit node.
17. The exit node encrypts it with the VPN encryption key (double encrypted again)
18. The message is sent to the entry node
19. The entry node send it directly to you (still double aencypted and in the vulnerable to hackes area again)
20. Your computer decrypts it with the VPN key and then decrypts it again with the facebook key
21. You now have your facebook login page.

This is repeated again and again for each request excluding the key request as the keys have already been sent.

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